Embalmer&#39;s aid



March 29, 1949. F; B. BANTA 2,465,781

EMBALMER S AID Filed A ril 12, 1946 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 s INVENTOR FARRELL a. BANTA BY ATTORNEYS seem-m i1 Patented Mar. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMBALMERS AID Application April 12, 1946, Serial No. 661,828

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an apparatus for positioning the feet of a corpse during embalming and to aid in clearing the circulatory system of a body.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that may be removably attached upon one end of an embalming table for positioning the feet of a body substantially normal thereto and for elevating the feet for the purpose of aiding in clearing the circulatory system of the body.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus according to the foregoing object wherein the apparatus is adjustable so that the feet can be maintained normal to the body at any elevated position relative to the embalming table.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the drawings and from the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side-elevational view of an embalming table with the device of this invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a side-elevational view of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1 but illustrating the device in position for elevating the feet of a body positioned upon the embalming table.

Figure 3 is a partial elevational and cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1 showing certain parts of the apparatus in cross-section for purposes of clearness.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional View taken along line 55 of Figure 4, but illustrating the platform for supporting the feet of a body in angular position as located before straightening the feet relative to the body of a corpse.

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional View similar to Figure 5, illustrating the platform for supporting the feet in elevated position.

Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional View of the pawl and ratchet mechanism for holding the feet-supporting platform in elevated position relative to the embalming table.

It is well understood by those skilled in the art of embalming that considerable difliculty is occasioned in clearing the circulatory system in the lower parts of a corpse, particularly the legs and feet, and filling the same with embalming fluid. This is a result of the necessary position of the corpse upon the embalming table wherein the legs and feet are disposed at an elevation lower than the head. Also, it is well understood that upon decease of a person, the muscles relax and as a result, the feet fall forwardly and outwardly, tending to place them in an awkward, spread position. Difficulty is also occasioned in retaining the feet during embalming in proper position relative to the body to provide for a neat appearance.

In this invention, therefore, the apparatus is adapted for holding the feet of a corpse in proper position relative to the body during the embalming so that when the joints of the feet stiffen, they will remain in the desirable position. Also, the device is adapted to aid in clearing the circulatory system in the lower extremities of the body, namely, the legs and feet, by elevating the feet and legs relative to the body while still retaining the feet in a desirable position relative to the legs of the body.

The device of this invention is adapted for attachment to any embalming table such as the table If! illustrated in Figure 1 which may have one end thereof raised and lowered by means of an elevating screw II.

The device consists of a base member l5 having legs l6 for supporting the base member l5 upon the embalming table [0. A pair of vertical uprights if is secured to the base member l5 in any suitable manner, such as welding, etc. The upright members ll are joined together at their upper ends by means of a U-shaped bracket l8.

The upright members i'l each have a plurality of ratchet teeth 19 that are engaged by a pawl 20 carried upon a slide member 2! that is slidingly carried upon the upright members ll. The pawl 20 in each of the slide members 2| is pivoted to the respective slide member by means of a pin 22 so that the pawl 20 will engage the teeth I9 on the vertical support member H to hold the slide member 2! in any desired elevated position upon the upright member ll. Each of the pawls 2B is resiliently held in engagement with the teeth H! by means of a Spring 23 and a button 24.

A support bar 25 extends between the slide members 2! and supports an L-shaped platform 26 having a rear wall 21 and a lower wall 28 at right angles to the rear wall 21. The rear wall 21 of the platform 26 may be welded to the sup-- port bar 25, the support bar 25 being rotatably carried in the opening-29 provided in each of the slide members 2!.

The platform 26 is provided with a pair of U-shaped members 30 carried adjacent opposite vertical edges of the platform which extend forwardly of the face of the platform 25 for the purpose of partially encircling the feet of a corpse placed upon the platform 28 in the manner illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 to thus position the feet in close relationship, as-illustrated in Figure 3. The U-shaped clamp members 38 are adjustably supported on the platform 26 by means of the slot 31 and the thumb-screw 32 provided for each of the members 30.

The platform 26 is adjustable on the axis of the support rod 25 for changing the angular relationship of the platform 26 relative to the embalming table as illustrated in Figures 2, 5 and 6. The adjustment of the platform is occasioned by means of a threaded rod 35 that is threadedly received in the rear wall of the bracket l8. The rod 35 has a ball-head 36 that engages a ball socket 31. The ball socket 3'! is provided with a flange 38 that is slidably received in the guide members 39 attached to the rear face of the platform 26, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. The threaded rod 35 terminates in a bell-crank leve'r 40 for rotating the rod 35 to adjust the angular relationship between the platform 26 and the upright member H.

To provide for positioning of the device upon embalming tables of different widths, a pair of rods 4| is received within a tube 42 extending between the legs l6, as illustrated in Figure 4. The rods 4| extend through openings in the legs l6 and receive retaining members 43 on the end thereof, suitably held to the rods 4| by means of nuts 44. A spring 45 is secured to the inner ends of each of the rods 4| tending to draw the rods toward one another.

The retaining members 43 terminate at one end thereof in a U-shaped loop 46 that is adapted to extend around the side edges of the embalming table Hi to thus hold the device in position upon the table. The opposite ends of the retaining members 43 terminate in a hand-grasp portion'4'l so that the spring 45 may be extended to allow the U-shaped members 46 to pass over the edges of the embalming table.

The use of the apparatus of this invention is illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 wherein there is shown in dot-dash lines, the general outline of abody with the feet in position upon the platform 26, the feet having been placed at right angles to the legs of the body and drawn together as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. In Figure 2, the feet and legs of the body are illustrated in raised position, as occasioned during the embalming process, to aid in clearing the circulatory systern. However, it will be noted that the apparatus of this invention has been adjusted so that the feet are in the same position relative to the legs as that illustrated in Figure 1 so that the secting of the joints during embalming will cause the feet to be retained in a satisfactory position.

While the apparatus heretofore described constitutes a preferred form of the invention, yet it will be understood that the device is capable of mechanical alteration without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that all modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims are intended to be included herein.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for positioning the feet of a. body during embalming thereof that includes, a base member, resiliently acting means carried by said base member for engaging the side edges of an embalming table to hold said base member upon the embalming table, a pair of support members spaced from one another and extending upwardly from said base member, an L-shaped platform for supporting the feet of a body, means slidably disposed on said support members including means for positioning the said sliding means in elevated position relative to the base member, means extending between said slidable means on said support members to which said platform is secured. means carried on said support members and extending into engagement with said platform for rotating the same about the axis of the means to which it is attached for changing the angular relationship between the platform and the base member, and means carried on the platform for holding the feet of a body against trans- Verse movement relative to one another.

2. A foot-rest for an embalming table comprising, a base member, means carried on said base member for removably securing the same to an embalming table, a pair of vertical uprights secured to said base member, a bar member extending between said uprights, means at each end of said bar member engaging said uprights and slidably mounted thereon and including means for holding said bar member in a selected position on said uprights, a foot-rest carried by said bar member, said foot-rest including means engaging said bar member for rotatably supporting said foot-rest on said bar member for rotation normal to said base, means carried by said uprights and extending into engagement with said foot-rest for angularly adjusting the same relative to said base, said last-mentioned means including a universal joint slidable in a track carried on said foot-rest for movement up and down thereon upon raising or lowering of said footrest.

3. A foot-rest for an embalming, table comprising, a base member, means carried on said base member for removably securing the same to an embalming table, a pair of vertical uprights secured to said base member, a bar member extending between said uprights, means at each end of said bar member engaging said uprights and slidably mounted thereon and including means for holding said bar member in a selected position on said uprights, a foot-rest carried by said bar member, said foot-rest including means engaging said bar member for rotatably supporting said foot-rest on said bar member for rotation normal to said base, means carried by said uprights and extending into engagement with said foot-rest for angularly adjusting the same relative to said base, said last-mentioned means including a universal joint slidable in a track carried on said foot-rest for movement up and down thereon upon raising or lowering of said footrest, and foot-engaging means carried on said foot-rest, said foot engaging means including means cooperating with means on said foot-rest for adjustment of said foot engaging means transvasely of said foot-rest.

FARRELL B. BANTA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 548,024 Adams Oct. 15, 1895 850,458 Bagley Apr. 16, 1907 1,239,789 Hawley Sept. 11, 1917 1,549,922 Philips Aug. 18, 1925 1,904,942 Heige Apr. 18, 1933 2,027,795 Stephenson Jan. 14, 1936 2,067,891 Comper Jan. 19, 1937 2,124,102 Bell July 19, 1938 2,299,127 Cawood Oct. 20, 1942 2,407,948 Cawood July 26, 1944 

